Nick monitored the transfusion, making sure that everything seemed in order. For
almost ten minutes, the flow between the two men ran smoothly. I hope this
works. If this young man dies, the Child will be even worse to deal with.

"Are we close?" Genaria asked anxiously.

"I'd say so," he replied frankly, taking a clamp and securing the end by the Child's
arm. Then he did the same for the part by Lex's arm. Carefully sliding the needles
out of the two arms, he quickly put the apparatus in a bucket and handed it to
her. "Can you dispose of this?"

"Absolutely," she agreed.

"Be careful with that. That blood has black magic in it," he concurred. "And frankly,
it tempts me. Please get it out of here." He shuddered, feeling his inner Vampire
lusting for the liquid.

"The Mother will know what to do with it. Secure their wounds, Nicholas. I'll
be right back," she concurred, rushing away with the bucket.

He forced himself to resist the blood's siren call, as he wrapped the wounds in
linen strips. Thanks, Nat, for making me go on the 'cow-only' diet.

"Normally, David has some influence over the Child even when the latter's at his
angriest, but in the graveyard, there was something else," the Empress recounted.

"I'd chalk it up to his father being there," Xena remarked before remembering
the Child's new stunt. "He threw fire of some kind. He's never been able to do
that before." She looked over Lex as she considered that occurrence. "It was like
the stuff that ghost threw at us back in the air place."

Nick shook his head, running through the information he knew about his friend's
childhood. "But he was tortured by it. What if he learned to use it in retaliation?"

"That, Nicolas de Brabant, is exactly what happened," the Empress informed them.
"How is the patient?"

"He's still weak but at least he's stable. He'll sleep for a while. The Child
saved his life," Nick told them. "Still, what do you mean that's exactly what
happened?"

Xena looked intensely at the Elf Queen as well. "When did he start doing that?"

"During the last trip to Smallvillewhen he saved this one and faced the witch
and the demon. After that encounter, I made him forget about those abilitiesin
an effort to give him time."

"Time for what?" Xena insisted.

"Time to meet Angela and you," the Empress pointed out. "The time needed to deal
with other issues."

"We need to deal with the witch. This started when Angela and he got to the air
place. David was really shaky and nervous. Since that ghost hit him with that
whatever, the Child's been in charge," the warrior theorized. "That mark. What
is it?"

"It represents the black arts. A sacrifice is marked with it. Interestingly enough,
it was slightly different at one time," the Empress explained, drawing the mark
in the dirt at their feet with her staff. "If I change it slightly, you might
see something." She erased the right part of the figure-8 and replaced it with
an open "u". "You know that symbol, I trust?"

"Xena?" Nick inquired.

Xena frowned, recognizing the mark almost immediately. "It's a shamaness' mark.
This 'witch' is a dark shamaness." At that moment, her mind flashed back to India.
After a close battle, Xena and Gabrielle survived by the skin of their teeth.
At their side, the local darsham comforted them as best she could. But the prophecy
stuck out:

****

[India"Between the Lines," XWP Season 4]

"You have beaten her at the time in her karma when her evil was at its most powerful."

"Time when it was at its most powerful?" Xena asked.

The darsham replied, "Oh yes. Alti's karma has passed on to its next life. It
will return many times. However, you both will be there to meet it." She drew
twin lines in the sand, continuing, "You both are like these lines. Never intersecting
yet always together. Always together in the Mehndiİ."

****

[Present Day]

With that, Xena's mind returned to the present. "You've gotta be kidding!"

The Empress replied sadly, "I wish I were."

"But we just beat her! She's dead!" the Warrior Princess protested.

"What are you talking about Xena? This witch died 300 years ago!" Nick argued.

"Yeah butİ" Then she realized what was happening. "By Eli! Nicholas, that's how
she found you both in the library!"

"Found? Xena, you're talking about the attack, right?" he asked. "But that wasİ."

"Yeah," Xena replied grimly, gnashing her teeth as she made the realization. "Welcome
to our nightmare."

"Alti? How? She was dead millennia before Lichtenfeld existed!" he argued.

"Her karma reincarnated itself into your witch just as it did that professor that
did that science stuff on Gabrielle and me," Xena noted. "Why didn't I realize
this earlier? There was the time when he helped me and Gabrielle fight Ares and
Callisto back in our time. He told us he was Alti's kid at that point!" She slapped
her forehead at the oversight.

"Now you realize the severity of the situation," the Empress assessed. "My friends,
there is a hidden danger in this quest. This isn't just for possession of the
young ones' souls. No, our enemy has a much deeper purpose in all of this. She's
influencing the Child, drawing him deeper into the darkness. She wants both the
girl and himbody and soul."

"And of course, the Child's gonna charge right in," Xena groused knowingly. "It's
the perfect trap for him. We're gonna need help. Can we get Gabrielle?"

"I'll send Cybelle for her immediately. Genaria will fetch another one from Smallville,
a dream walker who can help us. Her name's Sarah Conroy," the Empress agreed.

"A girl who can travel the dreamscape?" he wondered.

"Yes, Nicolas, and she is a friend to the young ones. Trust me; she worries for
them as do the others," the Empress continued. "I will visit with the Amazons.
Their seeress, Nai-Jin, may be able to help us. In the meantime, do what you can
for the Child." With that, she vanished into thin air.

He looked at her incredulously. "I can't believe this. She's Alti?"

"A more evolved version of her. Yeah. Terrific," she mentioned grimly. Here
we go again. Hasn't that bitch harmed enough of my friends?

****

[The Great Lakeseveral minutes earlier]

Cybelle hurried down the path, following her brother's vibrations, feeling more
and more frustrated by the minute. We don't need you running off right now.
Finally, on the shores of the great lake, she found him staring out into the
mists. "Are you okay?"

"Nah," he retorted, chucking a stone about a third of the way across the lake.
"Ah'm pissed!"

"Want some good news?" she asked.

"Yeah wha?" he inquired moodily.

"You saved Lex's life with that transfusion. He's sleeping but he'll live."

The Child stared at his sister. "'Bout time somethin' went right! Still with 'er
waitin', this is gonna be a bitch!"

The Empress appeared. And now the physical transformation. That can only mean
that Lichtenfeld is indeed feeding his dark side. "I require Cybelle's assistance."

"Of course," the priestess agreed. "What is it?"

"We need Gabrielle here. Return to Tucson and bring her here if you would, Cybelle,"
the Empress directed.

"At once," Cybelle agreed, opening a portal and disappearing into it.

"As for you, you need to calm down," the Empress instructed.

He glared at her. "CALM DOWN? WHY?" He stormed off toward the settlement; his
anger increasing by the minute.

Her eyes narrowed. May the goddess grant us aid in this endeavor. She knows
we need it. With that, she disappeared.

****

[Rowenshire]

In the valley behind the old house, Lichtenfeld's ghost meditated next to a well-sized
bonfire. Despite the Child getting the upper hand at the airport, the encounter
had an unexpected benefit for her. For the first time in nearly two decades, she
had access to his mind, allowing her to influence him on a subliminal level into
a blind rage. Then I'll have him.

She looked at the moon and stars. Everything's in position. She began to
sway and move in accordance to the energy patterns around her, drawing on that
dark power. The priestesses think they can keep him from me, do they? She
grinned, even as she felt her power growing stronger. Reaching up toward the house,
she tapped yet another source. Ironic that the one they seek to rescue will
be their doom. Reciting an ancient spell, she caused the fire to explode,
shooting a flare into the sky.

She laughed triumphantly, knowing the perfect challenge had been sent.

Chapter 7

[A half hour later]

Lana and Chloe's spirits floated within their prison, still trying to find a way
out. For hours, they had tested every part of the "bubble." However, there were
no weak spots.

"Lana, it's no use," Chloe urged, feeling tired from the effort.

"We have to!" the former cheerleader asserted, bouncing off of the energy wall
yet again. "Clark needs us!" Her head still rang with his pain from Jor-El's conversion
techniques.

"We're no good to him dead," the reporter reminded her. "Besides, I need to know
some things."

"Such as?" her housemate wondered.

"Such as why this witch wants you so bad. Lana, what is your connection to her
and this place?"

Lana shrugged. "This is the first time I've ever seen this place, Chloe. And,
as for her, I remember her showing up after the meteor shower along with the fiery
thing. There was someone else too but I can't recall exactly. It's so fuzzy."
She felt faint. "Oh!"

"Guess youİwere wrong. Itİfeelsİlikeİ" she muttered, closing her eyes. Then she
flickered for a second before turning 'solid' again.

"Lana, come on! Stay awake!" Chloe beat on the bubble, trying to batter their
way out or get attention.

The fire demon bellowed at her.

"Oh shut up! Where's that stupid hag?" the reporter snapped before sharply flying
backward and impacting against the tree.

"That's not nice, Dearie," the witch chastised, burning her again and getting
a scream from her.

As always, Chloe couldn't take a hint. "What are you doing to her? You're killing
her!"

While she was tempted to throw another fire blast, Lichtenfeld admired the blonde's
spunk and loyalty to her friends. "I'm draining her. She won't die. Nay, she's
too precious for that! But even as you feel the boy's pain, her brother feels
Little Missy's agony as well."

"She doesn't have a brother!" Chloe argued.

"Nay, not as ye would think. In another, a stranger bonded to hera link to her
parents and the past!" The sorceress smiled, seeing the teenager's jaw drop. "Aye.
Her brother in pain." She waved her hand again, conjuring up the past again.

****

[Two Days following the Meteor Showerduring "Primal Rage"]

[Nell's Flower shopan hour later]

Jonathan stopped the truck in front of the flower shop and let Dave take in the
devastation around them. Around them, several bright black patches stood out against
the lighter colored asphalt. Some buildings were boarded up. People walked around,
staring at the sky.

"This is where it happened?" Dave asked, getting out and looking around.

"One of the places. This kind of destruction can be seen all over the county,"
the farmer explained.

The graduate student surveyed the street. There was something very wrong there.
One big patched area sent up a psychic smoke signal to him. What in? He
started to follow the "trail".

"David, what is it?" Jonathan inquired.

"Something was here," Dave pointed out, stopping dead in the middle of the street
and touching the pavement. As he did so, a powerful jolt jarred him. "No. It can't
be."

"What? It can't be what?" Jonathan wondered as he kept a lookout for oncoming
cars.

Dave snarled and looked down the street at the Talon's neon sign. As he did, the
telltale numbness crept over his head again. If she's still stuck behind the
field in Rowenshire then how could she have been here as well? Damn it. He
looked up at his host. "This is where they died, wasn't it?"

"Against the far curb actually. Uh, David, can we get out of the street?" he asked.

Dave nodded and walked into the flower shop followed by Jonathan. "It's nice to
see this place is still the same," the former remarked.

Behind the counter, a slender brunette woman raised her head. "Can I help you?
Oh, Jonathan, good morning. Who's the young man with you? He seems familiar."

"Hi, Nell. This is David Dubois from Massachusetts," Jonathan replied, introducing
them. "David, this is Nell Potter, Laura's sister."

"It's good to see you again, Nell," Dave greeted, shaking hands with the shop
owner.

"Likewise," she concurred. Even if I don't like the idea of him being here, he
was Laura and Lewis' friend. Maybe we can have him do his bit and then he'll leave.
There's definitely something about him that gives me the creeps. "We do appreciate
you coming out here on short notice."

"I wish it were under better circumstances," Dave replied, eyeing the different
flowers around him. "Your sister and brother-in-law were good people."

"Thank you," she expressed. "Between dealing with their passing and caring for
my niece, I haven't had time to deal with things."

As if on cue, a little voice sniffled in the back. "Auntie?"

"I'm here, Sweetie," Nell called, picking up Lana and bringing her into the room.
"I was just talking with Mr. Kent and his friend. Do you want to say hello?"

Lana looked sadly at the two men and sniffled. Her dark eyes were bloodshot from
crying. "Hİhello."

Dave winced, feeling a sharp pain between his eyes. The feeling in the street
returned. Steeling himself, he looked deep into Lana's eyes and saw pain and worse.

He saw himself.

"David?" Jonathan wondered.

"Is there a place I can make a local call? I need to talk to Lex now," he insisted.

"Please, David, don't scare her," Nell admonished, glaring at him as she handed
him the receiver. "She's been through enough."

Dave hung the phone up and spasmed violently. "No. Never! You hear me? Never.
She won't touch you again."

"How could you know?" Nell insisted. "She's been like this since the meteors hit."

"Because I was her," Dave retorted, breathing heavily and feeling his eyes watering
as his scalp went numb again. "I'm still her. I know the pain she's feeling. I
watched my grandfather and grandmother die because of that witch!" He stumbled,
somehow fighting his pain to reach the toddler's side. "I promise you, Lana, we'll
end this together one day. Until then, please don't be afraid of me. I'm here
and I know."

Lana looked at and around him as if she were scanning him. Then she reached out
with her stubby arms. "Help me!"

"No sweat," the Child replied, giving her a brief smile before stalking out.

"What's with him?" Nell inquired.

"The ghost's curse. He's living with it and has since our fathers stumbled on
her land. Trust me, watch Lana. That witch won't quit, especially tomorrow." With
that, Lex left for the car and drove off with the Child toward the big city.

Chapter 8

[RowenshireModern Day]

"Lex knows about this guy?" Chloe asked, aghast at the stranger's dark display.

"DİDavid?" Lana murmured, forcing her eyes open. "Sİsave me."

"You know him! How?" she asked her friend.

"Ye ask too many questions!" the witch retorted sharply, clearly tiring of the
reporter's attitude. "Aye! Lionel gave the land to my boy's sire, playing into
my hands."

"But his connection to Lex?" Chloe pushed.

The witch bit back a response to her impudent prisoner. "Just watch." Again, the
past came to view:

****

["Primal Rage"St. Gabriel's Cemetery, Metropolis]

For the three hour trip between Smallville and Metropolis, Lex tried in vain to
generate a conversation with his passenger. Despite the effort, all he got back
were terse responses before the other drifted off to sleep. Finally, as they reached
the cemetery, he shook the other man carefully. "We're here."

"Where?" Dave asked. "Lex, where are we?"

"You're in Metropolis, Dave. We're going to visit my mother actually. That is
if you're up to it," Lex pointed out. "What do you last remember?"

"I remember being in Nell Potter's flower shop and seeing the pain in Lana's eyes.
Then the lights flickered and the sky turned dark right after you got there. It
almost seems like the witch was there," the grad student strained to recall.

"She was there, Dave. Nell, Jonathan, and I all saw her. We also saw you change,"
the billionaire informed him. "Those lapses are Hell, aren't they?"

"I have huge gaps in my memory, Lex. I was in Rowenshire a couple of days ago
and she called me her "dark child". What does that mean?" Dave wondered, staring
fearfully into his friend's eyes.

Lex sighed. You really stepped in it, Dad, when you found that land for Stuart.
"Apparently your situation has worsened, Dave. Tell me, when was the last time
you remember speaking to me before this morning?"

"At Gram's funeral, I guess," Dave surmised.

"Wrong. We spoke last night. It didn't sound like you though. The words were slurred
and you spoke with this deep Southern accent," Lex reported.

Dave shook his head. "Great. Now I'm a mental case."

Lex shook his head. "Unstable maybe. Mental case or threat to us herenever. Your
alter ego just proved that in the shop by protecting us against the witch. Dave,
I'm here for you, all right? Like my mother would have given me a choice." Seeing
his friend's surprise, he continued, "Mom made me realize what was happening to
you after the funeral. Iİwellİam not surprised." He held up a copy of The Daily
Planet. "There were two murders in Cambridge, Mass. Witnesses reported someone
with your description approaching the house and fighting with someone. However,
you had disappeared before the police arrived. I did what I could through my contacts
to keep things quiet. Let me ask though, the murdered woman, Pauline Samuelsohn,
was that Lana's "green lady"?"

"You have to keep this secret," Dave admonished. Seeing Lex nod in agreement,
he continued,

"She was. You met her at the funeral. She was with my sister, Cybelle. Lex, speaking
of funerals, I'm sorry I didn't make it back here for Aunt Lillie. Dad didn't
tell me and I didn't find out until almost a year after the funeral."

"That's okay. Given what a pair of assholes our fathers are, I'm not surprised.
Come on, she's waiting for us," the businessman assessed, picking up a bouquet
of flowers and leading his friend toward the raised tomb several feet away. "Give
me a minute, all right?"

"Go ahead. I'll wait here," Dave agreed.

Lex smirked before heading toward the tomb. After standing the flowers in the
plant holder, he dusted off the name and said, "Hi, Mom. I hope everything's all
right. Yes, I survived the meteor shower although the doctors tell me that I'm
permanently bald. I guess that's a small price to pay, isn't it? Some of our friends
didn't do so well. By now, I'm sure that the Langs are with you. Fortunately,
Nell Potter and the Kents are looking after their daughter, Lana." He sighed and
looked back at his friend who patiently stood watching and waiting before continuing,
"Mom, I found David at long last. He's been through a lot over the past week but
he came back to be with us during the funeral. He wanted to say hello."

Dave meandered over but stood there quietly. He could barely remember the last
time he had seen the red haired woman. Then in a flash, he saw the ghost hit his
friend with dark fire, infesting the latter with cancer. "I'm really sorry, Aunt
Lillie, that I wasn't here for you. I never forgot you and what you tried to teach
me about people. I wanted to thank you again for how you stood by me. I know it
cost you a lot. You're a big reason I am what I am today. I just thought you would
like to know. Meantime, I will stand against the night as best I can. She's back,
Auntie. Somehow, she's figured out a way to slip out of that field we put her
in. Now she wants to do to Lana what she did to me." At that point, he stopped
as his throat tightened, the tears blurred his vision, and the spasms started
again.

"Dave?" Lex inquired, touching the older man's shoulder.

"We deal with it here and now," Dave asserted firmly. "I will end it. She'll pay
for what she's done to us."

"Ah'd count on it. Leave it to us." The Child growled. "He just needs to get here."

"Leave that part to me," Lex assured him. "I can have a jet in Hartford three
hours from now if you want. Get who and what you need to insure that you can deal
with anything that comes up."

"Count on it. Ah'm lettin' Big Bro out but Ah'll be waitin' fer trouble. The Squirt's
not gonna have anything else happen." The Child took a deep breath and allowed
the personalities to flip-flop again.

"I know and we all appreciate it," the future entrepreneur expressed. He really
does care. It isn't a bullying attitude. Rather, he's just super protective and
untrusting. Then again, after what he and Dave have been through, I can't say
I blame him. "We'll call from the car on the way back. Did you have anything else
to say?"

Dave looked at the tomb again. "Just to tell her that I love her, Lex." He blew
a kiss at the cold marble. "Nothing's going to happen to that little girl, Lex.
Nothing."

Lex frowned, thinking of the gauntlet being thrown. We're having a funeral
and he's preparing for war. Yeah, tomorrow's gonna be some day.

****

[Modern Day]

"They seemed close," Chloe surmised.

"He kept Alexander from turning evil as I intended," the witch clarified. "Those
two are like brothers. I hoped to use that."

"But you failed, didn't you? Didn't you?" Her eyes sparked at the captor.

"I told you that scary witch isn't going to hurt you and I meant it," Dave vowed
again.

"Hang on!" Lex told them as he punched the accelerator, screeching away from the
site and toward town. "Where do we go?"

"Dave? Where can we go?" April McKenzie, his friend, asked, trying to comfort
Lana.

For his part, his mind swam between fear, anger and indignation. "Drive."

Then he heard a deep roar in the distance. "Damn it! Things just got a lot worse!"

"What is it?" April wondered.

"Her bloody demon," Dave hissed, shaking his head.

[From within his head, he heard the Voice tell him, "Picture Place. Head for Picture
Place!"]

"Picture place?" Dave asked. "Lex, are there any galleries in town?"

"No. Closest one's in Metropolis," the billionaire told him.

Just then, they could see a dark form flying toward them, blotting out the sun.

"Dave!" April screamed.

"Just keep going!" Dave urged Lex. Just then, as they passed the Talon, he felt
a pull toward the old theater. "Stop! Lex, stop!"

"Are you crazy?" Lex protested.

"You want to argue with me right now?" he growled, shuddering. "This is where
we make our stand."

"Are you sure?" April wondered.

"Let's say I have a feeling about it," Dave countered. "Just keep Lana out of
sight!"

"If you say so," Lex agreed reluctantly, slamming on the brakes and turning. "Talon,
it is. Your stuff should be in the back with the girls."

"It's here," April confirmed as she rocked Lana who whimpered fearfully.

Right in front of the old theater, Lex stopped the car. "Talon, everyone out!"

Dave jumped out and pulled the girls out rapidly. "Find cover in the alley!"

"And what are you going to do?" Lex demanded.

Dave slipped his quiver onto his back and put two shafts in his bow. "Give that
thing a bellyache, I hope."

The demon swooped in low and took a swipe at him but missed.

"Missed!" Dave chortled, firing two shafts into the beast's belly.

The fire beast screamed and grabbed the student, burning him with dark fire. Then
it flung him through the open doors into the dark theater.

"What the Hell am I doing?" Dave chided himself.

["Ya're gittin' me home."]

"Who said that?"

["Ah said it. Ah'm in yer head, Dumb Ass. Feel anythin'?"]

Dave felt a charge in the air. "The air feels charged somehow. What is this?"

["Ah'm home. 'Lax."]

Dave's scalp went numb and he growled. In the corner, he saw something glowing.
"That's the plaque from last time." He approached the metal display warily. "What
the?" He reached out and touched the metal.

A light flashed from it, burning him.

"ARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!" he screamed, feeling himself slipping away.

For a full minute, the display continued before it stopped.

Then the Child stood up with a scowl on his face. "'Bout time!" He touched the
plaque again, soaking up the residue energy from the chamber. Hearing a scream
from outside, he spat, "Ah owe Darkie a whuppin'." With that, he stalked back
out of the theater, heading for the alley.

****

Meantime, the demon had cornered the others out in the alley. It knew that its
mistress wanted the brat. The bigger ones it could kill if it wanted to.

"I thought Dave could take that thing," Lex hissed.

"I said he survived fighting that thing," April retorted, shielding Lana behind
her. "Where is he?"

They heard a loud scream from the street.

The demon turned to see a dark, glowing, and enraged Child storming toward it.

"Ah ain't done with ya'll yet!" The Dark One allowed his hands to glow with dark
energy. "Ah owe ya'll this!" He fired two blasts of dark fire.

The demon roared in pain, reeling from the energy and wondering how its longtime
victim could do that.

"Didn't like that, did ya?" the Child sniggered. "This is mah home, Darkie an'
yer ass is grass!" Grabbing three shafts from his quiver, he threw them in the
air. Using telekinesis, he flung them at his nemesis, peppering the latter. Finally,
he threw a big pulse at the demon, slamming it into the wall.

The fire beast shook its head not knowing what to make of this display. Screaming,
it took back off into the sky, vanishing without a trace.

Lichtenfeld grinned. This is working out better than I thought it would. They
do have a link. "She's right. His pain is here!" She reached for the sky,
closing her eyes and soaking the emotional residue in like an exquisite treat.

"You're sick," Lana pointed out.

"Be nice, Dearie, or ye'll get another taste!" the witch threatened. "Better than
argue with ye, ye can see for yerselves!" She opened another window to the past.

Chapter 9

[Rowenshire-February 18, 1975A/N: This flashback sequence is from "Hearts of
Darkness"]

Dave climbed the stairs cautiously on his way up to the third floor. He should
have been more excited-after all; this was his favorite time of the day. This
was the time his grandfather spent with him, teaching him about their heritage
and encouraging him to be his best. His books provided a release for the boy from
the darkness surrounding them all.

The young man surveyed the hallway for any signs of weirdness. Nothing, but
she'll be around...I know it. Ever since the family had moved into the house,
the "glowing lady" had intruded into their lives and made things a living
Hell. Surprisingly, Randy seemed blissfully unaware of the situation. However,
for Dave-the situation was very real. More than once, he had endured the ghost's
fiery touch, burning his skin and soul. At first, he took the punishment to save
his siblings from it.

Then, the phantom started going after Cybbie, and the house echoed with her cries
in addition to his own.

He boiled with resentment. I should be able to do something about this mess!
Knocking on the door, he asked, "Grandpa?"

"C..ome in," the elderly man invited.

Dave entered the room, feeling a strange sense of foreboding. What now? He knew
that his grandfather was bedridden and had been for almost a year. "Grandpa,
what is it?"

"I...I'm getting ready to leave. My time is...near," the old man stated
sadly.

The boy's eyes bulged and he protested, "No! You can't go! How can I go on?"

His grandfather shook his head. "No. You and your sister are the special
ones, David. And in this time, you won't be alone...you'll never be alone. Promise
me two things...First, take care of the others. Second...always do your...best.
Don't...let that she-demon...des...troy...you."

In her wake, the boy screamed to the ceiling, wailing and protesting his pain.
"GRARRRGGHHH!!!!!" Finally, he stopped and brooded. One day, I'll
get her...Oh will I get her for this!

****

[Amherst-November 1982]

Dave stood silently as they placed the urn with his grandmother's ashes on the
ground. The wind blew briskly on that day after Thanksgiving. The overcast sky
offered no warmth or comfort for him either.

****

Three days earlier, she had called to the high school, begging for him to be there.
After getting a release for them both, Karen drove him to Ludlow.

"Gram?" he asked.

"Dave? Come in," the older woman called. "Are you by yourself?"

"Karen's waiting downstairs. She figured you wanted to talk to me alone,"
he replied.

"I'd like her here too. She's such a nice girl," she complimented.

"Just a minute," he agreed, going out and down the stairs. A minute
later, he was back.

Yeah right. He seethed over her condition. While she had been worn down for months,
the cancer had spread abnormally fast, doing in months what should have taken
years. She's at it again. I knew that leaving that damn place wouldn't be good
enough.

His girlfriend studied his face. He's ticked off all right. "Dave, are you
okay?"

"I know," she agreed, rubbing his arm. "Are you up to talking with
the others?"

He wiped a stray tear off of his face and fought back another tension wave. "Yeah.
Let's do it."

Just across the room, Frank Landers, Steve, Garth, and April McKenzie waited for
him patiently, understanding how close he was to his grandmother.

"Sorry, guys. I missed a deadline, didn't I?" Dave asked mournfully,
knowing that he had let his classmates down. "I'll get to it."

"Hey, it's all right," Garth assured him. "We took care of it.
You relax, all right?"

"You need to be with your family right now. We can cover for you," April
added, hugging him tightly. "Principal Jackson wanted you to write a eulogy
about her. Think you can do that?"

"Absolutely," he agreed. "I just need time to get my thoughts together."
Seeing a familiar red-haired woman approach, he asked, "Aunt Lillie?"

Lillian Luthor managed a smile for his benefit. "Yes, David, it's me. As
soon as I heard, I reserved seats on the first flight from Metropolis." She
embraced him, knowing the damage that this tragedy was wrecking on him. He
still isn't over the beating in Smallville yet. The doctors are wondering if he'll
ever recover. "Are these the friends we heard so much about?"

"Of course," Mrs. Luthor agreed. "I wish we could be meeting under
better circumstances, kids. This is a tragedy for everyone. Who would have thought
that cancer could take somebody so fast?"

It can't unless it has help, Dave mused. "How's Lex?"

"Oh, he's waiting by the table. Hang on." She walked over and took her
son's hand before heading back over to the group's side. "Everyone, this
is my son, Lex Luthor."

The eight year old looked shyly at the teenagers. "You're David's friends,
aren't ya? The ones who gave 'im that big card?"

April giggled. "That's right. And you were helping Dave with saving the Talon,
weren't you?"

The boy nodded. "An' I got a medal!"

"You did?" Dave asked, a smile coming to his face. "Who gave you
that?"

"Momma did," the boy replied, rubbing her side.

"Lionel doesn't think he's a hero, but I do. And you are too, David. By the
way, I made a trip out to Smallville before getting on the plane. The townspeople
wanted me to give you this card," Lillian explained, handing him an envelope.

They remembered. How? "How would they know about that?"

"Well, I know how close you two were and you did speak to the Kents about
it. Martha insisted that we get you something nice. You can open it later if you
want, but please take it."

"Thank you and please thank them," Dave accepted. "Well, it's almost
time for the service to start...so let's get seated. Karen, you're with me. Wish
me luck with my piece."

"You've got it," Steve asserted. "Just take it easy."

Take it easy he says. Yeah right, he told himself while sitting down with
his family. Feeling a tap on the shoulder, he turned to see Cybelle sitting there.
"Cybbie?"

"Yeah. How could this happen?" she asked, hugging him.

"You-Know-Who struck again," he noted. "How are you doing?"

"Well, all things considered, I'm okay. This is Sister Pauline, my school
sponsor. Sister, this is my brother, David."

"Good to meet you, Sister," he told his sister's older companion.

"And the same to you, David. You have our deepest sympathies," Pauline
concurred, gripping his hand. There is great evil within you and surrounding
this place. Goddess, protect us.

"Thank you," he replied.

You're welcome. No wonder the Mother has asked me to look after you, David.
The forces against you here are great. Pauline straightened her skirt as she
prepared to listen to Stuart's address.

After his father spoke, Dave stood up and walked to the dais. But before he could
say anything, the sky grew dark. A strong wind gusted through the tented area.

[From inside of his head, he heard the Voice growl, "She's doin' it again. Get
ready...."]

Now what? He looked beyond the tent-covered space to see his glowing tormenter
standing there. "You're not welcome!"

Everyone turned to see the witch's ghost standing just behind them.

Cybelle's eyes bulged. "Sister, protect me!"

"Ye have a gathering and left me out. For shame!" the ghost chided.

"We've got no room for a party crasher!" Dave hissed, stomping to the
edge of the covered space. "Leave now."

"Go away!" she laughed, hitting him with a fire blast and knocking him
off of his feet.

The witch released another blast, but he shrugged it off, roaring his displeasure.

"I can hurt ye like this!" Lichtenfeld spat, firing past him and destroying
the still unburied urn...with the ashes inside. Once exposed, the ash scattered
on the wind, blowing away.

"NO!!" he bellowed, watching her ashes spread out across the cemetery.
"GRRAARRRGGGHHH!!!"

Pauline stared at him. It's as bad as the Mother said. He's changing. How can
I stop her without exposing Cybelle or myself?

Meantime, Dave (the Child actually) looked around for something of use. Spying
a vial of holy water, he sniggered, "Oh yeah!" Pouring it onto a long
drop cloth, he hurried toward his opponent twirling the wet cloth in his hand
and whipped it at the spirit.

"WHAT? I felt that!" the ghost complained.

"Well, well...the bitch has a weakness," he cracked, preparing for another
swipe. Moving quickly, he struck out at the spirit again and again. "Ya better
run!"

"Still, I can hurt ye like this too!" the witch hissed, firing another dark blast,
hitting Lillian square in the chest.

"Momma!" Lex screamed, looking her over.

"That's it!" the Child yelled, snapping the cloth at Lichtenfeld, backing her
away from the others.

Pauline tapped Karen's arm. "Can you sit with Cybelle?"

"Sure. But where are you going?" the high school junior agreed.

"To help David," the elder woman told her, hurrying out the side of
the tent. Once out of view of the others, she concentrated, summoning the white
magic at her command. "Remove yourself, Fiend!"

The witch fired wide on him as he stung her yet again. Then, she saw the priestess
standing to her left. "How did ye get here?"

"That doesn't matter. You've done enough!" Pauline challenged, chanting
a Celtic verse and striking out with a charge of her own.

"Scram!" he added, snapping his weapon yet again.

"Ye haven't heard the last of me!" the ghost challenged as she vanished.

"Good riddance," he growled. "This is the last straw!"

"Calm yourself," the priestess urged.

"Not until we take care of business," he asserted, hustling to the front
once again. He picked up the shattered urn pieces and watched the last ash particles
blow into the wind.

"Dave, who...what was that?" Karen asked.

"Hey, Dad, wanna tell her?" the Child asked.

"I didn't do anything," Stuart replied indignantly.

"When ya built the house, ya built it on cursed ground! Ya cursed our family!
Stupid bastard, look what ya've done to us! To me!" the taciturn son accused.
"That woman out there-she's yer ghost! She killed Grandpa and Gram. Be a
man for once! Do somethin'."

"If you know so much, then you do it!" his father retorted.

"Fine! See to Aunt Lillie," Dave spat back, regaining his sensibilities
despite the anger raging through him. Seeing Pauline reenter the tent, he requested,
"Can you both come with me? We've got work to do."

"Leave him and us alone, you beast!" Lana yelled. "What gives you the right to
cause someone pain like that?"

The witch frowned. "I've done this for millennia, child. Ye should mind yer tongue!"
She glared at them. "Aye. I've existed in one form or another for most of time.
During that journey, I've become stronger! Playing your pain and Alexander's off
of his own is wonderful!"

The demon snarled again.

"Aye, Precious. I've tarried with these two long enough. Best to prepare for my
boy and his friends," the witch agreed. "Come!" With that, they returned to the
valley below.

"She's a real pain, all right," Chloe groused.

Lana fought back her tears, as she now remembered everything. The "slideshow"
had shredded the Empress' and Pauline's respective spells of forgetfulness. Now
she recalled the events leading up to her parents' funeral and thereafter. She
saw them being crushed by the meteor again. "No!" She broke down.

"What?"

Lana sniffled, caught between her emotional spasms and trying to remain strong.
"Tİthey were coming to see me, Chloe. And she was there."

"That ghost?"

"Yİyeah. And she pulledİthis big meteor rock down from the sky andİcrushed them
right in front of me," she recounted.

Chloe wished she could hug her friend. This is insane! How can we do anything
against something like this? "Hey, ummİtry to think of something positive."

"Positive? Chloe, I'm reliving their deaths!"

"Try! All right?" Chloe insisted. "I don't want you giving up on me, all right?"

Lana nodded and focused. In amidst the horrors, there was one thinga very special
moment in her life indeed.

****

[Kent Farmduring "Primal Rage"]

Nell sat on the couch in the Kents' living room, rocking her niece to sleep. While
she appreciated everyone's concern, she would have rather spent the previous evening
in her own bed rather than in the Kents' guest room. "Okay, I've played along
with this long enough. What's going on?"

"Keepin' us safe, Auntie," Lana noted.

"That's right," Martha agreed, setting a plate of sugar cookies and two glasses
of milk in front of them. "And we like having you both over."

"Not to mention everyone can watch out for everyone else, Nell," Jonathan concurred,
coming in from the barn.

"I'm sure David's intentions are noble, but how well do we know him?" the florist
protested.

"He helped this town in the past," Jonathan noted. "Besides, he knows about what
is after Lana."

"Nell, he's not that bad," his wife assured her friend. "He spent three weeks
here on his last visit. We never had a problem with him. Now would you mind if
Clark shared some cookies too?" She brought her newly-adopted son over to the
couch. "Nell, Lana, this is Clark. We just adopted him."

Clark smiled and flushed bashfully.

"Hi, Clark," Lana greeted, managing a smile for him as well. At least if she had
to deal with the scary lady, she would have a new friend to help her do it.

The boy looked at the little girl curiously, admiring how her eyes sparkled and
how it made him feel before he yanked on his mother's pant leg.

"Okay, Clark," Martha agreed, setting him down beside his new friend.

Lana broke a cookie in half and handed half to him. "Wanna piece?"

Clark nodded and took the piece. His eyes shone at her warmly.

In response, the little girl blushed shyly, feeling really weird for some reason.

"Doesn't he talk?" Nell queried, looking at him strangely.

"He hasn't said a word since we brought him home from the orphanage. The poor
dear's probably too scared to say anything," Martha responded, quickly defending
the boy. Hearing the limo pull in, she announced, "They're backİ."

****

[Modern Day]

Seeing Lana smile, Chloe breathed a sigh of relief. "What is it?"

"It was during that time that Clark and I first met," the former cheerleader revealed.
"Imagine over a sugar cookie."

Terrific. She would have to think of him right now. Can it, Chloe, if her feelings
for Clark help her through this, then go with them. "Really, Lana?"

Lana giggled in spite of herself. "We were both so shy. He didn't say a word but
that smile of his, you know? Itİmakes quite the impression."

"It does," the reporter concurred. "It's good to see you smile too."

"Thanks for being so supportive, Chloe," Lana expressed.

"That's what friends are for," Chloe replied.

"Speaking of which, I have an idea," Lana proposed. Feeling another wave of pain
coming from her love, she added, "We have to reach out to him."

"What? I think that hag's garbage is getting to you!"

Lana wheeled around and glared at her friend. "Are we supposed to leave Clark
wherever and alone? No! Come on!"

"Sorry. I lost it there for a second myself," Chloe apologized, holding her hand
out.

"As you just said, that's what friends are for," her friend assured her while
taking her hand. "Go with it!"

With that, the two girls focused, allowing their feelings to permeate their prison
and flow forth.

Chapter 10 [Somewhere between time and space]

Kara slipped back into the 'time pocket' with a feeling of satisfaction. She smirked
smugly, as she considered how everything was developing to their advantage. Those
Earther children are out of the way. The traitor, Jonathan Kent, is comatose on
the cave floor outside. As soon as Kal-El submits to his father, he'll be mine!

Do you have anything to report, Kara? Jor-El wondered.

Nothing, she replied. Is he any closer to breaking?

No. I may have to resort to drastic measures soon. The witch was supposed to
have taken care of things. I don't think she has.

Off to the right, Clark lay curled up in a fetal position; every nerve ending
in his body screaming at him.

I hate to kill him, Kara, but I won't see him subjugated by this mongrel race,
Jor-El told her.

Surely, you can do it, Jor-El? I meanİ.

You mean you want Kal-El for yourself. Remember our agreement. You'll get him
when I've retrained him, not before! The deceased father's spirit stared at his
son's form. Why he has to make this so hard? I can't understand!

Maybe if you didn't mess around over the past year, we could have had him!
she countered.

Watch yourself, Kara! he retorted, breaking into an argument with her and
distracting them both from keeping watch over the teenager.

****

At that moment, Clark stopped shaking. For some reason, he felt something warm
inside of his head almost like the buzz whenİ. Lana?

Okay, he agreed. Sorry but Jor-El might pick up on this if we keep going.
Lana, can I tell you something?

Sure.

I love you. Remember that. I can hold out as long as you and Chloe are okay,
he declared.

AndİwellİI love you too, Clark. We will get through this, she concluded.
Close your eyes.

Okay.

****

[Dreamscape]

Clark looked around nervously. The pain was gone and all he could see was a gray
backdrop. "Where?"

"Somehow, we have a link, Clark," Lana noted, standing in front of him. "I know
we don't have very long but I wanted to give you this."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him passionately.

"Wow," he gasped.

She smiled wistfully at him. "I am here for you, Clark, just as you are my beacon
of hope. Let my love help youİ."

He flashed her the Kent grin and replied, "I realize that. I want to be there
for you too. Hang onto hope, Lana. He reached toward the ground and picked a rose
growing there. "IİwellİI didn't get the chance to give you the last one in person.
Sorry. You deserve better than me."

"I have that one and this one too. Oh and Clark, if you would be open with me,
there is no one better." She kissed him again quickly and let her eyes shine into
his.

With that, the realm began to blur.

****

[Space pocket]

Clark gasped, as he returned to his senses. Once again, his body ached but the
pain wasn't so bad. She didn't leave. He looked over to see his father
still arguing with his pawn.

Lana, if I can get out of here, I'll save you. I promise. No more lies.

****

[Rowenshire]

"So?" Chloe asked, as Lana snapped out of her trance. "Is he okay?"

"That was so weird!" the former cheerleader gasped. "Somehow, I did a Sarah."

"You meanthe whole dreamscape thing? Did you see him?" the reporter wondered.
Then she saw the rose. "Lana, where did you get that?"

"Clark gave it to me," she recounted, taking a deep breath and smiling.

"Okay, what else happened in there?"

"Chloe, I don't want to hurt your feelings."

"Look, Lana, we both know he likes me but he loves you. Did you two kiss and make
up?" Chloe wondered.

"We kissed but we're going to talk when we get out of this mess," Lana reported,
sniffing the flower. "Let's share it, Chloe, and the hope with it."

"Okay. Thanks for doing that," Chloe replied, sniffing it for herself. "So I gather
by 'going to talk,' you mean that you aren't going to Paris?"

"I'm undecided." Lana fretted over her feelings. She still wanted to see the world
but her feelings for Clark tugged at her too.

"You're as bad as he is. You know that?" Chloe pointed out.

"Huh?"

"Lana, you're as bad at the hot and cold thing as our favorite farm boy. Are you
really wanting to see the world? Or are you running away from commitment?" Seeing
the fierce stare, Chloe put her hands up. "Just some food for thought, okay?"

Do I really know what I want? Sometimes, I can't say for sure. One thing though,
Clark, thank you for reaching out to me too. She sniffed the mystic rose again,
feeling some hope warm herself.

Chapter 11 [Althanor]

Even as this activity went on, the High Priestess of Althanor prepared her hut
for the council to be held there. By the end of the hour, she had several places
readied in the center of the floor for her visitors.

"I hope they don't mind the humble surroundings," she worried.

"These are desperate times," the Faerie Empress noted. "We have more important
issues to discuss than worrying about the furnishings."

"It seems that Clark and Lana had a dream experience. Somehow, she reached out
to him," Sarah recounted. Seeing the others' worried looks, she assured them,
"It's all right. They gave each other hope."

"That was a risky move, Sarah Conroy," the Empress reprimanded.

"I didn't do it though. Somehow, Lana was behind the whole thing. Chloe helped
but I could swear it was her," the dreamer insisted.

"She has a fire demon as a familiar," Cybelle concurred. "We had the misfortune
of meeting it as kids."

"Alti can control demons now?" Gabrielle wondered. "Xena, when did this happen?"

"Remember what the darsham told us about Alti's karma? This is one of her forms,"
Xena explained.

"She was a witch named Anne Lichtenfeld. LaCroix and I helped to stop her about
270 years ago," Nick added.

The High Priestess nodded. "Once she passed on to the spirit plane, she gained
even more power." She saw the flap over her door rise, allowing Nai-Jin, the Amazon
seeress, into the chamber. "Welcome, Nai-Jin, thank you for coming."

Gabrielle indicated, "Nai-Jin, a dark battle lay ahead of us. We need to know
if you've seen anything."

The seeress glanced at the Child. "Darkness pulls at you, my friend. Your adversary,
she casts spells against you, uncovering more and more of your dark power. You
have two battles to fight to save those you love."

"Ah know that!" the Dark One hissed.

"Two battles," Cybelle reiterated. "The second one being in the Midwest?"

"Yes. I see a familiar town and a glowing spirit holding a boy," the seeress continued.
"He will appear and force a battle." She looked at him with concern. "At that
point, he'll be uncontrollable."

"Aw cut the crap! Ah wanna kick ass!" the Child urged. "Lessgo!"

"And you will," Nai-Jin prophesized. "I see you fighting the glowing spirit at
the place of your birth. Much hangs in the balance, my friend. I can't see the
end of this battle but I know that it will test your endurance. You must stay
out of the lower valley. My Queen, Xena, you must keep him out of there!"

"We'll try," Xena assured her. "Thanks for the heads up."

"Thank you indeed," the Empress concurred. "My friends, it's time. As the Child
proposed, you will split up into two groups once you get to Rowenshire. Cybelle,
do you know the spell to free the girls?"

"Yes, Milady," the priestess indicated.

"Good. Meantime, Nicolas, you'll go with her. Xena, Gabrielle, you will accompany
the Child. Remember, once you have the girls' spirits, you're to immediately break
off the fight and come back here. Am I understood?" the Empress stated.

Everyone except the Child nodded.

"And your problem is?" she asked. "I asked if you understood?"

He snickered, "Sweets, Ah know wha's down there! Ah also 'unnerstood' tha' Ah
coulda stopped this crap 'fore it started!" Seeing her stiffen, his left eye glinted
red at her and he asserted, "Don't start! Ah've seen that ghostie dancie crap!
Ah know wha' it is!"